Since July of 2021, Supportive Housing Services (ballot measure) funding began to flow to agencies, and the work began to rapidly increase the amount of services provided (including permanent housing, temporary housing and outreach). Here are some highlights (this includes some preliminary numbers from the second quarter, but only the numbers from the first quarter are finalized).

HOUSING

• At least 1,200 people were moved into housing and off the streets and out of our shelters (more than 300 of those who moved into housing were able to be housed with SHS Metro measure funds)

• 743 additional people were enrolled in housing programs funded by the Joint Office of Homeless Services (JOHS), putting them on a path to permanent housing 

• 1,300 new people got a shelter bed 

• 7,370 people stayed in their homes thanks to rent assistance, including investments from the SHS Metro funds 

• 131 people received legal assistance to avoid eviction

INNOVATION AND TRANSPARENCY

• We launched the Regional Long Term Rental Assistance Program - the first truly regional program in Oregon

  • Federal Section 8 vouchers often leave vulnerable and deserving people out

  • Local vouchers can help those people because they offer less red tape

  • Local vouchers also allow us to pay the rent in market-rate apartments that are off-limits to Section 8 vouchers.

• We joined the Built for Zero initiative to collect more accurate data and direct better services to people experiencing chronic homelessness. 

TRASH CLEANUP, LIVABILITY AND STREET OUTREACH

• $1.5 million from Metro funds help launch new initiatives for trash collection, hygiene stations and employment services

  • 34 clean-up projects completed, with at least 76,000 lbs of garbage collected

  • 3,416 showers provided

  • 330 outreach engagements. 

• The Joint Office has used SHS Metro funds to hire 10 of 15 new positions in our Navigation Teams. Those are outreach teams that work intensively with the highest-impact encampments, getting people there access to shelter, but also helping with basics like ID cards, health insurance, eyeglasses and other benefits.

SHELTER EXPANSION

• New investments of $44 million were dedicated for congregate and alternative shelters:

  • 338 beds/pods/rooms (pods and rooms can serve more than one person) are either open for the first time or have been converted from temporary capacity to ongoing capacity.

  • That includes:

    • 60 new congregate shelter beds

    • 137 sleeping pods

    • 141 motel rooms

  • Another 400 beds could come online this year, including the Safe Rest Villages.

  • Before COVID, our system had 1,400 year-round shelter beds, so these new projects will mark a major expansion.

Here are slides from the two presentations made to the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners:

• January 18, 2022: Focus on Outreach and Shelter

• January 25, 2022: Focus on Permanent Supportive Housing

And you can download the full PDF of the Fiscal Year 2022 1st Quarter Report by clicking the image on the right.